State-owned petroleum firm QatarEnergy has awarded a contract for the construction of the 2,000MW Dukhan solar power plant. The agreement was signed between the client company and South Korea’s Samsung C&T, about 80 kilometers west of Doha. The plant will double Qatar’s solar generation capacity once completed. This will facilitate in the supply of up to 30% of Qatar’s total peak electricity demand. Moreover, it will use a solar tracker system and inverters, capable of operating in high temperatures.
Through this, the solar plant will maximize efficiency and produce amicable amount of power during peak solar hours. The project will be delivered in two phases and is expected to be fully operational by mid-2029. The first phase of the Dukhan solar plant will deliver 1,000MW of power to the Kahramaa grid by the end of 2028. QatarEnergy has shown its zeal in delivering solar projects as it recently inaugurated the Industrial City Solar Power Project (IC Solar), a project that has had a monumental significance.
Project Factsheet
Project Name:
Dukhan Solar Power Plant
Contract Value / Capacity:
2,000 MW (2 GW)
Client:
QatarEnergy (state-owned petroleum company)
Contractor:
Samsung C&T (South Korea)
Location:
Dukhan, Qatar – approximately 80 km west of Doha
Project Scope
- Construction of a 2,000 MW solar power plant delivered in two phases.
- Phase 1: 1,000 MW to be connected to the Kahramaa grid by end of 2028.
- Phase 2: Remaining 1,000 MW to make the plant fully operational by mid-2029.
- Installation of solar trackers and inverters designed for high-temperature operation.
Significance
- Will double Qatar’s solar power generation capacity.
- Expected to supply up to 30% of Qatar’s peak electricity demand.
- Supports QatarEnergy’s Sustainability Strategy of generating 4,000 MW of renewables by 2030.
- Builds on earlier solar projects, including the 800 MW Al-Kharsaah solar PV plant operational since 2022.
- Reinforces Qatar’s commitment to clean energy transition and energy diversification.
The Scope of Implementation on the Dukhan Solar Power Plant
The implementation on the first phase of the Dukhan solar power plant is one that was agreed upon by various government officials. The agreement was signed by Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, minister of state for energy affairs and QatarEnergy CEO, and Sechul Oh, president and CEO of Samsung C&T. Moreover, senior officials from Kahramaa and executives from both companies also attended the ceremony. Under QatarEnergy’s Sustainability Strategy, the country plans to generate more than 4,000MW of renewable energy by 2030.
The country’s first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) facility is a project that is to proud of. The 800MW Al-Kharsaah solar independent power producer project, has been operational since 2022. In August 2022, Samsung C&T also won contracts for two other solar PV plants with a total combined capacity of 875MW. One of the solar plants, which has a capacity of 458MW, is located in Ras Laffan. The other plant is located in Mesaieed and will have a capacity of 417MW. Construction work on both projects was completed earlier this year.
